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2008-08-17

Solar Islands

Giant discs covered in solar panels and launched at sea to capture the sun's rays and create electricity and hydrogen could be visible on the coastline of the United Arab Emirates in a number of years. The concept is being developed by the Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology, Inc (CSEM).

CSEM is developing a new concept for the large-scale transformation of solar energy into hydrogen and electricity at very low cost. The plan is to build large “Solar Islands” floating in the sea. These giant floating islands will be fitted with solar thermal panels which will convert solar energy into electricity and/or hydrogen.

CSEM started a project to design and built a first prototype of such a solar island. The aim of the project is to validate the concept and prepare the construction of large islands. The prototype will be built and tested in the desert of the United Arab Emirates. The project is funded by 5 mio US$ by the Gouvernment of the emirate Ras al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Technology

The circular Solar Islands with a diameter of 5 kilometers and an height of 20 meters consists of a torus, which is the steam storage, carrying the termosolar panels placed on a membrane.

Electric pumps constitute an overpressure of 0.1 bar to sustain the membrane 20 metres above the water level.

The whole platform adjusts it´s position to the course of the sun, to assure a maximum yield rate. To enable the platform to move, electric hydrodynamic motors will be fixed every 10 meters along the circumference.